


The Woes of Alexandra Foster

by SlytherLynn



Series: Blood Runs Through [3]
Category: Black Friday - Fandom, tgwdlm - Fandom
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Family, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Siblings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 08:15:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24846652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlytherLynn/pseuds/SlytherLynn
Summary: Just a series of scenes and insights into Lex’s mind. This is set in the same universe as Blood Runs Blue and Red, and the stories will intermingle.
Relationships: Alice/Deb, Gary Goldstein/ Dana Foster, Gary Goldstein/original character, Hannah Foster & Lex Foster, Lex Foster and Grace Chastity, Lex Foster/Ethan Green, Lex Foster/Grace Chastity
Series: Blood Runs Through [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1790512
Comments: 58
Kudos: 41





	1. Lex Hated

Alexandra Foster hated her mom’s boyfriend. Fucking hated him.

If she allowed herself to dream, she would envision herself ripping his guts out while laughing maniacally. 

But Lex didn’t dream. Not anymore. Not since her dad died. Or left- she didn’t fully believe her mom. 

She hated her mom, too. How she had drunk herself nearly into oblivion after her dad ‘died’. How she fucked the lawyer that had been so  _ kind _ and  _ understanding _ when they’d met at some bar. 

Gary Goldstein. Gary fucking Goldstein had been her mom’s boyfriend for just over six years. And he was nice, she guessed. To her mom. Not her. He hated her.

“Andi! Come set the table for dinner!” He called, his nasally voice rough on her ears. Andi. What he’d called her since the first they’d met, when her mom had brought him home to tell her that she was going to have a sibling.

She hated it. 

Of all the fucking nicknames for ‘Alexandra’, he chose  _ Andi _ ? Lex honestly thought he did it to show that he hated her existence just as much as she hated his.

She could smell his favorite garlic chicken dish, the one that left his breath reeking. Her mom made it at least once a week, just ‘cause it was his favorite. Lex hated that too. 

Maybe she was too angry. Too full of hate and anger and everything bad.

But, no, Lex loved as well.

Alexandra Foster loved her mom’s boyfriend’s daughter. Her mom’s daughter. Lex’s baby sister. 

She hadn’t wanted to. Had wanted to hate that man’s  _ spawn _ (Lex had read that word in a creepy vampire book and had been just waiting for an opportunity to use it). But then she met Hannah. And her sister hadn’t seemed like  _ spawn _ . 

Beautiful. Hannah had been a beautiful baby, and was now a beautiful toddler. 

Lex loved Hannah. More than anything else in the world. More than  _ the _ world. 

Which was part of why she hated her mom. Her wonderful mother, who hated her younger daughter. 

“Alex, darling, could you  _ please _ shut that brat up?”

“Alex, my love, change Hannah’s diaper. The smell is horrible.”

And more recently,

“Al-Andi! Shut the fucking bitch up!”

Lex wasn’t the smartest kid. But she knew, just  _ knew _ , that it was all Gary Goldstein’s fault. Her mom used to be nice. But that’d been years ago. Before her dad’d left. Then she’d spent years drinking, promising Lex sweet things that only years later did she understand would never come to pass. And then she’d gotten pregnant, and had seemed to find that she wanted to be a good mother again. And for nine months, Lex and her mom had been close, so fucking close. Even Gary, fucking  _ Gary _ , had seemed nice, and Lex had forgotten that she couldn’t dream. He’d paid for her to be in Girl Scouts, like she’d wanted for years. She and her mom would go get ice cream after school on Mondays. 

And they moved in with Gary. No more trailer park. Lex had been so excited. She was going to have her own  _ room _ , and it would be full of books, and she’d have a real bed, not just the pullout couch.

And she had. Until Hannah arrived. Hannah was different. She hadn’t cried, her mom had said. Only stared up at the world, as if she knew she owned it. It was creepy, Gary had said. How her dark eyes had roamed across everyone in the room.

Her mom didn’t like Hannah very much. But Lex? From the moment she had first held her sister, Lex knew she would give her the world, if she asked for it. And that thought was terrifying to a nine year old. But it was there. And she would. 

And she did.


	2. Webby Arrives

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, just want to let you know, that Gary and the girls’ mom are cruel, horrible people. they are both abusive, so TRIGGER WARNING for this chapter.

As Lex walked downstairs, wrinkling her nose at the garlicky scent that wafted from the kitchen, she could hear Hannah talking.

“Who’re you?” Hannah asked in a soft, curious voice.

Lex turned the corner to find her three year old sister sitting on the couch, eyes squeezed tightly shut. 

She was so tiny. Lex knew that, of course, but still. Every time she saw Hannah, the thought struck her. 

“Hi Miss. Webby! I’m Han-nah.” 

Webby. Odd name for an imaginary friend. 

Lex snuck up to Hannah, whose eyes were still closed, and started tickling her. 

“No!” Her sister laughed, eyes popping open. “Stop! Stop! It- it- it tickles Lexi!” 

A voice called from another room, “Andi! Make her shut up!  _ God. _ ”

Instantly, Lex felt like she’d been punched in the stomach. She shouldn’t have done that. She knew better than to make Hannah laugh or cry, or do  _ anything _ that could set their mother off. 

“Sorry, Mom!” Lex shouted. She knelt and said in a softer voice, “Sorry Kiddo. We gotta be quiet.”

Hannah looked at her, eyes wide and excited. “I got a friend, Lexi! Her name’s Webby. She’s a  _ big  _ spider.” She whispered animatedly. 

Lex smiled. “Oh yeah?”

“Yeah!” 

“I didn’t know you liked spiders,” she said as she got up.

“I do now! Didja know that Webby’s only got…” she counted on her stubby fingers, “one two three four five six seven eyes?”

Lex blinked. “I thought spiders had eight?”

“Not Webby! She’s special. She says I’m special, too!”

Special. Hannah  _ was _ special. Their mom said that she was a retard, but Gary- and this is the only good thing Lex thought he’d ever done- had told her not to.

_ “Dana, that isn’t politically correct. You can’t call someone retarded anymore.” _

But still. Fuck Gary.

And as if her very thoughts had summoned him, he walked into the room. 

Long. That was one word to describe him. He was ridiculously tall, but he also was reed thin, despite his near constant eating. He had a long, thin nose, and a long, thin scarf that he wore nearly every day, even in the summer. 

Said scarf was the only bit of color he really had. Lex thought it was as if he’d been leached of nearly all pigment, leaving only dull hair of an indeterminate color, pale, watery blue eyes, and pale skin. 

Hannah, thankfully, looked nothing like him.

Beautiful. Lex’s little sister was absolutely beautiful. Whenever they went out, Hannah would get compliments on how pretty, or cute, or  _ darling _ she was. 

Lex was not beautiful. 

Lex was not jealous, either. 

“Hello, little shits.” Gary said by way of greeting. “Lex, where’s my scotch?”

Fuck. She’d been distracted by Hannah and talk of her new imaginary friend, and had completely forgotten about his dinner scotch. Every night, she had to pour him his drink, and tonight she’d forgotten.

“Shit. Shit, I’m sorry Gary. I completely forgot. I’ll get it now.” She stammered, and backed towards the built in bar next to the kitchen. 

“What the fuck did you call me, Andi?”

Shit. Shit.

“I’m sorry, sir. I’ll go get it now.” She amended. 

He advanced on her.

“Sorry doesn’t mean I have my drink right now, now does it? Where is my drink,  _ Andi _ ?”

He raised his fist. 

And then Hannah was there. Beautiful, tiny, sweet Hannah was there, pulling on the end of his scarf.

“Daddy! I made a friend!” She smiled sweetly at him. He wouldn’t hurt her. She was his. Lex wasn’t. He hated Lex, and her mom didn’t care enough to stop him.

But Hannah? He may not like her, because of the way she stared vacantly at the world, but she was his, and he wouldn’t hurt her. 

Physically.

“What,  _ you _ made a friend? You’re a freak,” he sneered, but he lowered his arm.

“Yeah! She’s a  _ big _ spider, and her name is Webby, and she lives far far far faaaar away! And she’s really nice. She told me I’m  _ special _ !” Her eyes shone as she told him.

His sneer deepened. 

“Make believe bullshit. You’re ‘ _ special _ ’ all right.” 

He didn’t mean it in a good way. 

“Not make believe!” Hannah insisted. “I closed my eyes ‘n she was there! I  _ saw _ her. She’s real.”

Lex was pouring the drink when she saw it out of the corner of her eye. Garry swooped down, like a fucking heron, and grabbed Hannah’s arm. Not hard enough to bruise, but enough to make tears start to well in her big brown eyes.

“I will not have my daughter spout made up bullshit about giant ants or whatever the fuck it was,” he hissed. “You are a disappointment. You are a disgrace.”

His grip tightened.

Lex couldn’t move fast enough, but she knew if she even spilled one drop of the amber liquid onto the lush, white carpet, there would be hell to pay, and she likely wouldn’t be able to go to school the next day. 

She swiftly (and carefully, so fucking carefully) crossed the room with the glass of whiskey, and pressed it against the hand that held her now bawling sister. 

He let go and snatched the glass. 

“See,  _ Andi _ , it wasn’t that fucking hard now was it?” He asked before taking a swig.

“Alexandra Foster!” Her mother called from the kitchen, “Make the retard-“

“Word choice!” Gary shouted. “Fucking word choice, Dana! If anyone hears you say that in  _ my _ house, my career will be fucking ruined!”

Her mother stepped into the room.

With her dark brown hair and amber eyes, their mother could have been beautiful, if she weren’t so cruel. Lex read a book once, where people who were mean and horrible looked the part, and the people who were kind and good were beautiful. Maybe it was true. Her mother  _ wasn’t _ beautiful. And neither was she. Maybe it was because of how hateful she was. Hannah was beautiful, and she was kind and loving, even if she was only three.

“Gary, shut up.” Her mother said. “Lex, you and your sister don’t get dinner tonight. You’re too fuckin’ loud. Now get the hell out of my sight.”

And then she turned away. 

Lexi scooped Hannah into her arms and carried her upstairs, ignoring the way Gary stared at her as she left.


	3. Terror

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a pretty dark chapter with abuse and horrible language. Just so y’all know.

“A freak! That girl is a freak! Talking to that imaginary friend at all hours of the day. I won’t have it, Dana. I will not stand for it any longer!”

Lex was laying on her bed, trying to read. She had to finish the first three chapters of The Giver in time for English tomorrow. On Friday, Mrs. Davidson had told the whole ninth grade honors English class that they would have a quiz on Monday. Lex had started the book that very day on the bus ride home, but then she’d been put on babysitting duty, and, while Hannah wasn’t a terrible child to watch, it took all of her time, not that she had much else to do. Lex wished she had a friend. 

Alice from her Girl Scout troop was nice, but her parents had divorced the previous year, and she’d stopped going to the meetings. They still hung out every now and then, maybe once or twice a month, when Alice was in Hatchetfield, and not with her mom in Clivesdale. Mr. Bill was always nice. He made them hot cocoa and cookies whenever Lex went over. Sometimes he would play board games with them, too.

Lex wished he was her mom’s boyfriend. 

“Gary! We‘ ve tried  _ everything _ ! She won’t give it up!” Her mom cried. “She’s a-an idiot! This is all your fault, Gary!”

“ _ My _ fault? How the fuck is it  _ my _ fault?” He retorted.

For one of the only lawyers in Hatchetfield, Gary’s house had thin walls. Lex could always hear when they argued, even if they were on the other side of the house. 

“Alexandra is perfectly fine! She’s  _ normal _ , Gary. Normal! Hannah is not normal, and it’s your fault, because you’re the only difference!”

Hannah could probably hear the argument.  _ All _ the arguments. Lex prayed her sister didn’t realize it was about her. 

Lex burrowed under her covers and tried to focus on her book. 

_ Smack! _

“You Bastard!” Her mom shouted, and Lex’s breath hitched.

Gary had never hit her mom before. Had she-

“What did you call me?” Deadly calm. His voice was too calm.

Silence.

Silence. 

Then-

“What the  _ fuck _ did you just call me, you cunt?”

“I-“

“Get out of my house.”

Her mom laughed. “What?”

“Get. Out. Of. My. House.” Gary repeated.

“What? Why?”

Footsteps.

“Gary- please! Wait!”

Lex’s door slammed open, and there was Gary, her mother close behind, a hand held up to her cheek.

“Andi, get up!” Gary barked. “You’re leaving.”

Lex shot out of bed, and shoved the book into her backpack, where it sat next to her closet.

“Don’t bother packing,” he said coldly. “I bought it all. It’s my property.”

Lex froze.

Her mom put a hand on his shoulder, rubbing soothingly, “Gary, darling, please. It won’t happen again. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t’ve blamed ya. C’mon, let’s go to be-“

“Mama?”

A small voice echoed from down the hall. 

Hannah. 

No. No nononono. 

“You,” Gary snarled at Hannah- at  _ Hannah _ , her tiny, innocent sister. “you have ruined me,  _ Hannah _ . This is all your fault, missy.”

“No it isn’t!” Lex hissed at him, anger bubbling and hissing inside her. “None of this is Hannah’s fault, Gary. None of it. Don’t fucking take your anger out on her. She’s innocent.”

“Alright, Little Miss  _ Andi _ . I’ll take it out on the real culprit.” He said, smirking.

She raised her chin, even as the tiniest spark of fear flickered in the midst of her fury. 

And then he was there, grabbing her long brown hair, hair he had  _ made  _ her grow out, since ‘real girls have long hair,’ and yanking. 

He pulled her hair, wrapping it around his hand, so hard her eyes watered. He yanked her head back, so she was staring up into his pale, dead eyes. 

“I’ll take it out on you,” he whispered. Then louder, “You were always a little cunt, weren’t you, Andi? Never happy, never nice, like a good little girl should be. You were always so...hateful.”

She bared her teeth at him.

Her mom was blubbering, still in the doorway. “Please, Gary! She’ll be nice! I-I’ll make you more chicken! I-“ 

“Get out,” was all he said. 

“You can’t do that,” Lex retorted. “It’s illegal.”

He smiled cruelly. “Is it? I think I know the law better than you. You’re a stupid little girl. I’m the best lawyer in town. I can kick you out if I want to. And I do.”

He threw her to the ground at her mom’s feet.

“So get the fuck out of my house, now. Before I call the HFPD.”

Her mother grabbed her arm and pulled Lex to her feet. “But where will we go?” She asked dumbly.

“You still have that shitty trailer don’t you? Go there. I’m feeling generous, so I’ll let you keep the clothes you’re wearing. But only if you leave right the fuck now.”

And then her mom was dragging her. Dragging her out of the house, Hannah following, crying softly.

Nothing. They had nothing. And he  _ would _ call the police if they ever went back. And he was right. Who would be believed? A drunk, drug addicted woman, a teenager, and a little girl the entire town knew was different? 

No. 

The rich, popular lawyer would be the one everyone sided with. 

They walked barefoot to the trailer park. Halfway there, Hannah had started lagging, so Lex’d carried her the rest of the way. 

Small. The trailer was so small. Two rooms, and their mother silently went straight into her old one, and shut the door. Lex’s old room was tiny. Barely enough room for the twin bed and dresser. She sat Hannah on the bed, only to find that her sister had fallen asleep, tears still streaked on her face.

Lex tucked her in, then returned to the living room. She lay down on the couch, and as she drifted off, a thought bubbled up to the forefront of her mind. 

The Giver was still at Gary’s. As were all of her other school supplies.

She was going to fail her quiz tomorrow. And likely the rest of the school year.

  
  



	4. Everything’s going to shit, but it’ll be fine...Right?

Her mom was gone. Lex didn’t know where she went, but she’d been gone for two days.

She’d said that she was going to go get a drink, which wasn’t exactly surprising, but two days? Lex didn’t know what to do. Her mom had been going out for drinks more and more often, but she hadn’t come home.

They were running low on food. Just some rice in the cabinet and a whole lotta air.

The last four months had been complete and utter shit. The first few days after Gary had kicked them out, Dana had gone to his house, presumably to beg and cry and grovel at his feet.

And then the drinking had begun. Most of the money Dana made working at the local coffee shop went towards alcohol now. Lex had had to start going to the wealthier neighborhoods to mow their yards so she could pay for Hannah’s school lunches so she wouldn’t starve. 

But Lex was getting worried. It had been two full days, and if their mom didn’t come home soon, Lex would have to say something. And then she and Hannah would be taken away from each other, and they wouldn’t get to be together and- no. Their mom would come back. She  _ had _ to. She was probably just blackout drunk somewhere. 

It would be fine, Lex told herself. 

It had to be.


	5. Chastity at the Beach

Grace Chastity was a fucking godsend. A godsend, Lex was quickly realizing, that she was in love with. 

The girl had been in her Girl Scout troop, which was where they’d first met. While they had been friendly, Lex had been far closer with Alice, and so had never spent much time with Grace.

After  _ The Night _ , Lex had had to stop attending the meetings, and had fallen out of touch with everyone but Alice.

It was Alice who had told her about the life guard opening at the beach during one of their weekly phone calls the summer before they started their sophomore year. 

A real job. One that paid regularly, and would be easy enough for a fifteen year old to get. 

Lex had jumped on it. Not too surprisingly, not many teens wanted to be lifeguards, watching people play in the water, when they could be having fun themselves. And two fifty a week? For less than thirty hours of work? Hell yeah. It was close enough that she could walk there in only about twenty minutes. 

And Hannah could come with her. Not officially, but her boss had told her that Hannah could sit in the shade under Lex’s chair on the days their mom was ‘working’. 

Lex had been so utterly relieved to hear that. Dana had been absent more and more often, and they’d needed the money, but Lex couldn’t leave her sister home alone all summer. She was nearly six, her birthday rapidly drawing closer, but there wasn’t much Lex could do about that…

Hannah, bless her, was a fucking angel. She would play in the sand, or doodle on paper Lex brought with them, or take a nap. On mornings where the beach wasn’t terribly crowded, Lex would let her sit in the water for a while. Just in the shallows- nothing too deep or dangerous. 

But then one day, Lex saw a familiar head of curly strawberry-blonde hair. It had been almost a year since Lex had last seen Grace Chastity, and somehow, she’d forgotten just how beautiful the girl was. A tiny pang of jealousy echoed through her. Grace had long hair, like, really long hair. After  _ The Night _ , when Gary had grabbed her by the hair, Lex had decided that she couldn’t stomach it anymore. She’d cut it all off herself, and had done a terrible job. But it was short, just barely reaching her chin. No one would be using it against her ever again. 

But Grace? Long and curly, her hair was the first thing people noticed when they saw her. That, and her big green eyes. 

“Lex! Is that you?” She’d been staring at the girl. Shit. Lex forced a smile to her lips as she waved.

“Hey, Grace. Long time no see, huh?” She asked.

“Oh my gosh, it’s been way too long! I’ve really missed seeing you at meetings.” She said, then added, “everyone has.”

And then she was setting a bag down next to Lex’s chair, and digging a towel out to lay on the sand.

“Wh-what are you doing?” Lex asked. 

“What does it  _ look _ like I’m doing, Silly? I’m sitting next to you!” Grace laughed, “there’s no one else here. Talk with me! How’ve you been?”

…

And somehow Lex had ended up telling the other girl everything.

Grace had listened intently for nearly thirty minutes as Lex ranted about Gary, their mother, school, everything. She offered comments whenever Lex paused to take a breath, and nodded whenever Lex claimed that her mother was a bitch. 

Honestly, Lex had never considered the merits of talking to someone about her problems. Of course, she hadn’t really had anyone, other than Alice, who had enough issues of her own with her parents, so Lex had given her only the bare bones of what had happened. 

“That’s horrible, Lex. I can’t believe that...that...that  _ man _ would do that!” Grace said when Lex finished. “Please, let me know if you-“

“Lexi!” Hannah came bounding over from the water’s edge where she’d been playing. “Lexi Lexi Lexi! Guess what? Webby said everything’s comin’ together! She sounded real happy, too! And…” she noticed Grace. “....hi.”

Grace smiled at the little girl. “Hi! You must be Hannah, right? Lex told me all about you. You’re lucky to have such a great big sister! It’s wonderful to meet you. My name’s Grace.”

Hannah’s eyes shone. “I know!”

Lex laughed at the look on Grace’s face, then decided to take pity on the blonde.

“What do you know, Hannah?” She asked.

“ _ Everything _ !” The little girl giggled then scampered back to the water.

“Oh my gosh, Lex, your sister is too cute.” Grace said as she watched her splash around.

“Yeah. She really is. I swear she’s a fucking angel.”

“Lex?”

“Hm?”

“Do you need a babysitter?” Grace asked softly.

Lex froze. “What?”

“Hannah’s got to be getting bored of the beach everyday. And it’s got to be stressful for you to watch her on top of everyone else...do you need a babysitter? I’m still Red Cross certified and everything. Remember when we did that babysitting badge a few years ago? I’m still up to date on everything.” Grace explained.

“I...that would be….what do you charge?” 

If it weren’t too high, maybe she could swing it, if only for a couple of days a week.

Grace cocked her head to the side. “I normally do about fifty a day, buut… for an old friend, I’d say… ten a day, and on Fridays, we go see a movie at the Cineplex.”

Fifty a day, there was no way- “Wait what?”

“It’d be my treat, of course, the movie that is. And Hannah could come too, but… I want to help. And you seem really stressed. Maybe a movie date once a week could help a bit.”

Lex growled slightly, “I don’t need pit-“

“It's not. I promise. I’ve missed you. I know we… were never particularly close, but then you left, and I didn’t have your contact info so we could stay in touch, so… I want to help, and I want to get to know you.”

Lex still thought it sounded like pity, but she wasn’t too proud to know when to ask for help. She was drowning. She was fifteen and drowning in the waters of life. Grace was offering a hand to save her.

Her watch beeped just as her replacement came. Jumping from the chair, she looked at Grace.

“Yeah. Yeah, I do need a babysitter, now that you mention it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I’m sure y’all can see where this is going. At least partially. Let me know what you think of this pairing. I personally really like them, but I don’t think I’ve seen it anywhere else.


	6. Date?

It had been two weeks since Lex had accepted Grace’s help. Last Friday, Hannah had joined them to see Alice Through the Looking Glass. Lex had hated it. Well...not the experience, just the movie. The Alice stories had always been her favorites, and they had completely butchered the story! But Grace? Seeing a movie  _ with _ Grace? Lex had been so incredibly happy that her mom had said she would be staying in that night. Hannah could be with her, while Lex went...while Lex went…

It wasn’t a date. It wasn’t. Lex hated that her heart started beating faster and faster as the hours trickled away until she was going to meet with Grace. Just a movie. With a friend. Just the two of them. In a dark room. Where no one would see-

Just a movie with a friend! Lex didn’t even know what they were seeing.  _ Grace Chastity _ , a small voice in the back of her mind whispered teasingly. 

Lex stepped into the small bathroom to brush her teeth before she left. 

Looking in the mirror, she decided she had to do something with her hair. It was so short, though… She spotted a headband and plopped it onto her head. Fuck, she looked stupid. But she tried to style it into something nice. Then...why not? She grabbed her mom’s makeup bag. Lex had no idea how to use any of it. Mascara was for eyelashes...lipstick obviously for lips...and what else? Why was her mother’s bag so fucking big? 

Tentatively, Lex reached into the bag and grabbed the tube she’d seen her mom use on her eyelashes and-

Fuck! Fuck that hurt! 

She’d gotten it in her eye. 

“Fuck that,” she muttered, as she grabbed a wipe to take it off. Hair was enough of an improvement for a date.

It  _ wasn’t  _ a date.

Grace showed up about ten minutes later to pick her up. 

Lex felt a bit jealous at the fact that Grace had a  _ car _ . A working, nice looking  _ car _ . She’d never have one of those. 

“Lexi!” Grace squealed once Lex got in. “Finally! Just the two of us! Your hair looks cute, by the way.”

Lex blushed, then frowned. She didn’t blush. She never blushed. That was stupid. 

“Th-thanks.” 

“Are you excited to see the movie?” The blonde asked. “I’ve been looking forward to it for like a  _ year _ .”

Crap.  _ Crap _ ! Lex had no idea what they were seeing. 

“Um… yes?” She was excited for the movie. For the time with Grace. It wasn’t really a lie...was it?

“That’s great! I’ve always been a huge fan of the X-Men. I know, I know. It doesn’t fit my ‘aesthetic’, but Phoenix is just so cool! I don’t think Jean’s in this one, though…” Grace babbled as they pulled into the mall parking lot. “My dad used to buy me a comic everytime we went to the mall together, and X-Men was always my favorite. I think I have a few New Avengers too, though.”

“Cool,” Lex said. “I’ve only seen a couple of the movies, and never read any comics, but they seem cool. If you like it, they’ve gotta be awesome!”

Was that how flirting worked? Lex didn’t know. 

“Uh...I really like your...your...your shirt today. It’s cute. Looks good on you. Not that your others don’t! But...this one...I like this one….”

Grace smirked at her. “Thanks Lexi. You don’t look too bad yourself.”

And gods damn her, Lex was blushing again.

She had tried today. Actually tried to look nice. She’d gone as far as to dig through her mom’s stuff for a sundress. It was a bit big on her, but she liked the color too much. It was white with navy blue flowers, and she felt honest to gods pretty in it. Not as pretty as Grace, who looked almost angelic in her flowing pale pink blouse, but still pretty. Hannah had squealed when Lex had shown her the dress.

“Do you want popcorn?” Grace asked. 

“Huh?” 

When had they gotten inside? Lex really needed to snap out of it. She was  _ not _ a romantic, she was  _ not _ a blusher, and she was  _ not  _ on a date!

“I figured since it’s just the two of us this time, maybe we could split a popcorn?” The blonde girl explained. “You...do like popcorn, right?”

“Yes!” Lex practically shouted. Quickly lowering her voice again, she said again, “yes. I love popcorn! We never get it ‘cause it’s a bit pricey, but I adore popcorn.”

“Great! Me too.” 

And then Grace was moving to stand in line for snacks. 

“One large popcorn, please.” 

Grace reached for her purse.

“Wait, what are you doing?” Lex asked.

“Buying popcorn, Silly!”

“No, but you bought the tickets! I should pay for the-“

Grace cut her off. “My parents gave me money for a snack tonight. They were just excited that I was finally going on a date, I think.”

And then she handed the cash over.

Date. Date. Date?


	7. First Kiss

Lex hadn’t paid any attention at all to the movie. She had no idea what the plot was, or who the characters were, and she didn’t really care. 

It had been a date. 

It had been a  _ date _ .

She had felt giddy for the entire next week.

And the week after that, and the week after that.

After their fourth date, when they’d been sitting in the car, talking about the movie, Lex had been able to muster the courage to kiss Grace Chastity. 

Grace had paused, blinked, then pulled away. 

Lex immediately stammered an apology. “I-I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have done that. Fuck! That...I shouldn’t have done that,” she finished lamely.

The blonde girl shook her head. 

“No, no it’s fine. I just...wasn’t expecting it.”

She leaned back in to kiss Lex again. 

It was nice. Very nice. But she’d never kissed anyone, and she was pretty sure Grace hadn’t either. Their noses bumped, and Lex laughed.

“We’ll have to practice that!” She said, rubbing her nose.

Grace just nodded slowly.


	8. Breaking Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh....tw for mild aphobia

Lex hadn’t paid any attention at all to the movie. She had no idea what the plot was, or who the characters were, and she didn’t really care. 

It had been a date. 

It had been a  _ date _ .

She had felt giddy for the entire next week.

And the week after that, and the week after that.

After their fourth date, when they’d been sitting in the car, talking about the movie, Lex had been able to muster the courage to kiss Grace Chastity. 

Grace had paused, blinked, then pulled away. 

Lex immediately stammered an apology. “I-I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have done that. Fuck! That...I shouldn’t have done that,” she finished lamely.

The blonde girl shook her head. 

“No, no it’s fine. I just...wasn’t expecting it.”

She leaned back in to kiss Lex again. 

It was nice. Very nice. But she’d never kissed anyone, and she was pretty sure Grace hadn’t either. Their noses bumped, and Lex laughed.

“We’ll have to practice that!” She said, rubbing her nose.

Grace just nodded. 

…

A week later, sitting on the Foster’s couch, Grace told Lex she was asexual. 

Lex had laughed in her face.

“That’s not a real thing, Grace! People make up their own sexualities all the fuckin’ time. You can’t believe everything you see on the internet.” 

“It’s not made up! It’s a lack of sexual attraction. I’m not sexually attracted to you, Lex. I’m sorry. I love you! I do. But….but  _ kissing _ ? My stomach was tied in knots.”

“I’m pretty sure that happens to everyone-“

“ _ You aren’t listening to me! _ Please, Lex. It felt  _ wrong _ . I don’t know how else to describe it.”

Lex sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “Yeah. Fuck. I’m sorry, okay? I really am. Does this….does this mean you want to break up?” 

Grace bit her lip. “......I don’t know. I love you. I really, really do. But…but I think I need time? Shoot. I don’t know, Lexi.”

Fuck. She was going to cry. Lex was going to cry in front of Grace fucking Chastity. 

“Yeah. Yeah, fine. I don’t care. Go on.  _ Leave _ . It’s fine.” She wiped furiously at her eyes. 

“Lex,“ Grace said, “I…this wasn’t…. _ this isn’t about you _ .” 

She looked up at the blonde. “You’re right. It isn’t. But I-I...I’m sorry, Grace. I really am.”

Grace fiddled with the hem of her blouse and said, “I think I should go...I’ll see you monday...to babysit Hannah.”

She stood and crossed the short distance to the door. 

“...bye, Lex.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter after such a long time. This one was really hard for me to write? Idk. Sorry


	9. The Cop and The Greaser

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> .....Hello?? Hi. It’s been....a whole fucking month. I am so sorry. I had so many other projects and no idea how to connect the dots from the last chapter to this one. So i didn’t. Enjoy a long chapter though! And for anyone wondering about BRBR.....I am working on it. I need to get a tad bit further with this fic before I can post anything else on that one, but there is Stuff in the works for it, I swear. Anyways, enjoy the chapter!

Fuck. 

Fuck fuck fuck fuck  _ fuck _ . 

“ _ Hey _ Sam,” Lex said and hoisted her backpack over her shoulder and turned toward the school. Please let him not have seen. She glanced to her left to see if Deb had gotten away. Oh thank fuck, she had.

“Uhuh. Whatcha got there, beautiful? And respect. We talked about respect last time.” Sam was the only police officer in the whole town who cared about weed. Doug would let her off for a joint, and the others just didn’t care. But Sam? He was like a fucking bloodhound. He’d been the one to bust her last time….and last time………………...

“Just my backpack  _ Mr _ . Sam. I’m back in school! See? You’ve turned me into a model citizen!” Lex chirped. C’mon, let him buy it, let him not care enough…..

“Alexandra Foster,” he drew out her name, “tut tut! Back on the streets again, are ya? So soon, too. Let me see your bag.” He held out a hand, the other reaching toward the gun holstered at his hip.

“Isn’t that illegal  _ Mr. _ Sam? Dontcha need a permit or something?” She jerked her head back toward the school. “I got class in like…..five minutes. I gotta go.”

He cut in front of her again.

“I got probable cause, don’t I? You’ve sold before. You’re standin’ on the sidewalk holdin’ your backpack suspiciously. I’d bet there’s a whole bunch of cannabis in that there bag. Let me take a look. If you’re innocent, then you got nothin’ to worry about, Dollface.”

Fuck…..she shoved her bag into his waiting hand. The school bell rang. 

“There’s nothing there, Sammy.” 

And there wasn’t. She’d just sold the last of what she’d had to Deb to distribute to the Smoke Club. Thank  _ god _ .

He searched through each pocket.

“Uhuh. Looks like you’re tellin’ the truth. This time. Don’t let me catch ya here again.” He held the bag out to her

“In front of my school?” She quipped, then snatched her bag back. “But I gotta come here. Unless you’d rather I be back in Juvie.”

“Don’t push your luck, Foster!” Sam yelled as he got back in his car. 

She made a mad dash to her first class.

_ Fuck _ . She raced through the hallways until she got to shop. Ten minutes late…..again. Shit. 

“ _ Hey  _ Mr. Houston. Sorry I’m late. Got…….” he wasn’t there. It was a substitute. An old,  _ sleeping _ substitute. 

She crept to her spot and found that the seat next to hers had been taken. A punk was sitting where there was usually empty air. 

“Pretended I was you when she called role. Gotta be what………..your fifth…….fuck……...tardy! This quarter. Only a month in, too. Figured ya could use a break, specially since Mr. Houston ain’t here.” The kid whispered as she sat down. 

She knew him. Vaguely. From Alice….from Deb. Deb had told her girlfriend that the punk had transferred in from out of state at the beginning of the year, and that he was the same age as the stoner. She’d also said that he was an asshole who had been caught beating up kids. Green….something

“Yeah. Thanks. You can go back to your seat now.” She hissed at him. 

He grinned and jerked his head at the sub. “But  _ she _ told us to sit tight and not leave our seats. Can’t go nowhere ‘til class ends.” 

The woman snored right on cue. 

Lex frowned. 

“I don’t think she’s gonna notice if you moved.” 

“Yeah……….maybe not,” the punk laughed, and a boy in front of them turned and shushed him with a glare. “Okay, okay!” He held his hands up defensively and Lex could see that he was wearing an odd looking gray glove, and the exposed tips of his fingers were….

“So go.” She reached into her bag and dug around for her book, IT. She’d been working on it for the last month, carrying it around in the hopes of getting a few minutes. Now? She had potentially over an hour to read, and she wasn’t gonna let some punk ruin that.

“Whatcha readin’?” He leaned over to see the cover. “IT? By….Ste…..phen King. What’s it about?” 

Lex growled. “I don’t  _ know _ , Dipshit. I’m trying to read it myself. Go watch the movie if you wanna know so badly. Or read your own fucking book.”

He rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry, don’t know much uh…..pop culture. I’ll have to check it out.” 

She looked at him. “You  _ seriously _ don’t know IT?” She asked incredulously. “You’ve never seen the shitty movie from like the 80’s?”

He grinned and shook his head. 

“Nope,” he popped the ‘p’. “Never. Like I said...pop culture ain’t my…..fuck…..my forte! That’s it. It ain’t my forte.”

She cracked a grin. Fuck, no, she wasn’t supposed to be smiling. She was pissed. 

“Yeah well. Check it out. Book’s good so far.”

“Books ain’t my forte either, to be honest.” He said with a grimace.

“Well, then, what  _ is _ your forte, Mr. Green?”

His eyes lit up and he smirked. 

“So ya  _ do _ know who I am. But call me Ethan-“

“Mr. Green’s your father?” Lex joked.

His grin flickered, then reappeared. 

“Nah. My dads are Mr. McNamara and Mr. Lee. There is no Mr. Green.”

“Oh……” she hesitated. “You uh….didn’t answer. What’s your forte, Ethan?”

He shook his head. 

“Don’t got one. I like to cook, though. And…..yeah. Cookin’ is nice.” He said.

“Oh  _ God _ . Fuck cooking.” She groaned. “I cant fucking stand it. I’m absolute shit at it, too. You’d think with enough practice, but no.” 

“Too bad. I just got into it ‘bout a year ago. Never had much spices before, but now? I fuckin’ flip my lid with ‘em. Use ‘em all.”

Lex had to raise her eyebrows at his words. “Flip your lid, huh? What are you, a fuckin’ greaser?” She looked him up and down, “holy shit,  _ are  _ you?”

His hair was definitely slicked back with  _ something _ , and with the leather jacket and glove…...although the glove didn’t quite look right. It looked almost...stretchy.

He caught her stare. 

“It’s a…..a….compassion glove. I got a bad burn-“

“From cooking?” Lex interrupted.

“Nah, just….just an accident. But I wear it cause it helps with blood flow. And scarrin’. Supposedly. Not sure how much it’s really helpin’ but it makes me look bitchin’ so…”

The same kid from before turned back around and shushed Ethan. Lex couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled out at the look on Ethan’s face. 

“We were fuckin’ whisperin’, Nerd. Want a knuckle sandwich? Meet me after class, dipshit.” He hissed at the boy.

Apparently Deb had been right about Green. Ethan…. Green. He  _ was _ an asshole. 

Lex hefted her book back up and started reading. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him glance at her and frown.


End file.
